Death by Mushrooms: Foragers be wary and aware!

"Death Cap" amanita emerging at Cape Chignecto National Park (Nova Scotia)photo by Jonathan SchechterA fourth senior citizen died a few days ago from eating homemade soup made with poisonous mushrooms in November at a senior care facility (Gold Age Villa) in Northern California. The soup was prepared by a caretaker that gathered them on the grounds of the facility with the belief that they were prized chanterellee mushrooms.They were not.The residents fell victim to Amanitas, a species also found in the woods of Michigan. The Placer County Sheriff's Department ruled the deaths accidental.I share this slice of information as a word of caution in gathering wild edibles. I too am an active forager of edible plants of all sorts and with no snow on the ground in these early days of December treats of nature are still easily available. But I never eat what I do not know. When it comes to mushrooms I only gather morels, shaggy manes and giant puffballs but never gather any mushrooms when they first emerge. Young shrooms of different species look similar. It's believed that is the fatal error made by the caretaker.FACT: Nature is full of rich rewards and bountiful harvests.FACT: Nature is unforgiving when it comes to mistakes with mushrooms

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About Me

Jonathan Schechter, a naturalist and resident of Brandon Township with a passion for outdoor adventure and severe weather events writes a weekly hiking column for the Oakland Press. He lives on 11 acres with a rich mix of wildlife, meadows, woods and wetlands. He has a Master of Science Degree in Forest Resources from the U. of Washington and is an active member of the Wilderness Medical Society certified in Advanced Wilderness Life Support. His writings and nature photos reveal ways humans are subtly yet dynamically altering the behavior of wildlife leading to a corruption of nature's way and wildlife behavior. Join his Earth Almanac blog as Jonathan shares thoughts on our natural world in Oakland County and beyond.